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This One's For the Whales: Kristen Bell and Other SELF Cover Stars Give Back

Cover girl Kristen Bell hits the silver screen today in Big Miracle, along with co-stars Drew Barrymore and John Krasinksi. The heart-felt flick is based on the true story of Operation Breakthrough, a 1988 international effort to rescue three gray...

Cover girl Kristen Bell hits the silver screen today in Big Miracle, along with co-stars Drew Barrymore and John Krasinksi. The heart-felt flick is based on the true story of Operation Breakthrough, a 1988 international effort to rescue three gray whales trapped in the ice near Point Barrow, Alaska. Bell stars as Jill, an enthusiastic young reporter who heads to Alaska looking for her big break.

The 80's flick may be a throwback for Bell, but it was far from out of character for the animal-loving star. A vegetarian since she was 11, Bell has been a long-time advocate of animal rights--she even took top honor as PETA's "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" in 2006.

The effervescent celeb is also heavily involved in organizations such as Charity Water, a non-profit organization that brings clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations; I Am That Girl, a community inspiring girls to think for themselves and Invisible Children, who Bell recently accompanied on a service trip to Uganda.

SELF cover stars are often no strangers to charity work. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who appeared on our December issue, is a long-time supporter of CARE, an organization devoted to tackling the underlying causes of poverty, especially in women and children. Our May cover girl, Gwyneth Paltrow, narrated the UNICEF film The Gift and April star and reality darling Kim Kardashian supports numerous charities, including the Dream Foundation, the American Foundation for AIDS Research and the Diamond Empowerment Fund.

We love that Bell and other SELF cover stars are girls we can look up to and still want to grab a cup of coffee with. Want to make like a star and give back? Check out how to make your workout count (SELF staffers are pedaling for the cure at this months Cycle for Survival!)--and our list of charities that support everything from health, to women and the environment.